National
Transitional Council (NTC) troops remained in the central police headquarters to which they retreated two kilometres (more than a mile) on Thursday under heavy fire from Kadhafi forces, an AFP correspondent reported.
The loyalists, who are holed up in the Dollar and Number Two residential neighbourhoods in northwest Sirte, have been putting up an unexpectedly dogged resistance that has scotched NTC hopes of a swift mopping-up operation.
"Yesterday evening, we used artillery cannon to shell the neighbourhoods," said Nasser Moghassabi, a frontline field commander of the Martyrs of Free Libya Brigade.
"The situation today remains the same. We are still surrounding the two neighbourhoods," he told AFP.
"In the morning, we have sent in a scouting team and very soon we will decide on the next plan of action."
The AFP correspondent said the bulk of NTC troops to the east of the two neighbourhoods remained holed up in the police HQ.
No fighting had been heard by 9:00 am (0700 GMT).
© 2011 AFP
The loyalists, who are holed up in the Dollar and Number Two residential neighbourhoods in northwest Sirte, have been putting up an unexpectedly dogged resistance that has scotched NTC hopes of a swift mopping-up operation.
"Yesterday evening, we used artillery cannon to shell the neighbourhoods," said Nasser Moghassabi, a frontline field commander of the Martyrs of Free Libya Brigade.
"The situation today remains the same. We are still surrounding the two neighbourhoods," he told AFP.
"In the morning, we have sent in a scouting team and very soon we will decide on the next plan of action."
The AFP correspondent said the bulk of NTC troops to the east of the two neighbourhoods remained holed up in the police HQ.
No fighting had been heard by 9:00 am (0700 GMT).
© 2011 AFP
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